


Tradition

by Vulcan409



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, chatting, eighth year, harry potter's head in draco malfoy's lap, talking about future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 20:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16291382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vulcan409/pseuds/Vulcan409
Summary: Domestic Drarry, if it can be called that. Just boyfriends enjoying each other's company, while they talk about this and that.





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> This is more of Drarry figuring out where they are and where they're headed, than a well-plotted, fully fledged story.

"There aren't many things that can surprise me," said Draco, "but your equal-parts-brilliant-and-stupid brain does."

Harry simply nodded. There was a goofy smile on his face as he lay with his head in Draco's lap, his eyes shut in peace. It was evening time and they were hiding from the world. His hair was being put into order(momentarily of course, and they both knew that, but they did it anyway), and Harry loved it.

"How could you possibly think aurors don't use dark magic? Do you even know how fucked up things are, out there?"

Harry shrugged innocently, not opening his eyes, playing with Draco's cuff on his chest. He liked the time they spent here; it was quiet. They hadn't told anyone about them. Harry wanted to ease Draco in, but every time he brought up anything concerning Draco, Ron and Hermione would have one of their eye-talks, and then talk to him like he was an angry child. Naturally, he stopped doing it.

"Well, I never thought of it until Dawlish mentioned it today. So you're still interested?"

"Of course," said Draco, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Got to carry on the tradition, right?"

Harry looked up to check if there was steel behind Draco's smile. There wasn't, so he smiled too.

"You look better when you smile. Why don't you try a new frame, anyway?"

They laughed, and Harry said, "we've had this talk before, Draco."

"So..." Draco said, removing his hand from Harry's hair, causing him to look up again. "I have something for you."

"What?"

"A ring."

"A ring?!" Harry chuckled, and Draco's face contorted in red embarrassment.

"Yeah," he said, wincing.

"Well, let me see it then."

Draco extracted the ring from a pocket inside his sleeve, and placed it in Harry's hand. As Harry looked it over, he put Draco's hand back in his hair. It was a plain gold band with runes on the inner side that he couldn't read.

"What's it say?"

"I don't know; it's... it's a family heirloom- was given to mother by grandmother when she got married, and she said she got it when she was married to grandfather."

"Oh," said Harry. He tried to wear it in his middle finger, but it was too small. Draco grinned at him when he looked up at him, helpless.

"Term ends in a week," he said.

"Term ends in a week."

Draco made little circles on Harry's chest, saying "Were you serious about DADA?"

"Yes," said Harry coolly. "I mean, they're stuck with Dawlish this year, but they've got to look for replacement, right?"

Draco smirked, saying "but I'll be in auror training."

"I know. We'll find some way."

"Why teaching, though? I mean, I'm not opposed, but you have to consider that you'd be a huge..."

"...yeah, I know, but- well this might sound foolish to you- but I feel.. like I want to honour the legacy of Remus, you know? And Dumbledore. I've been feeling this way. Like you, you have a name, a tradition, a purpose; I have nothing. I didn't have parents, and somehow I've ended up having more of them than anyone else- Dad, Mum, Remus-Sirius... Dumbledore. And now there's a whole lot of things to find in our old home. It's like... a constant urge to honour their memory, and there's just too much to live up to."

Draco took the ring from Harry, and said, "I understand." He leaned down to kiss Harry, who slid his hand inside Draco's silken strands. He knew how much the blond hated it, but this time, it was allowed.

"We've had this conversation before, too, but about what you said. Yes, Harry, tradition is important, but look at me. All I am is a product of a frozen, rotting tradition, aren't I? The thing is, we don't have to live up to them. We simply can't, because we're not them. All we can do is to choose our tradition, Harry, and leave something... back to be built upon."

They were quiet for a moment, and Draco thought he was safe for a golden second. Untrue, of course.

"Leave something back, eh? You mean the next generation? Thought that far into the future, have you?"

"Shut up," said Draco, grinning tomato red, "or your hair gets it."

"By the way," said Harry, "have I told you that my Dad used to be little bit of a bully back in his days?"

Draco's eyes widened, as he went about carefully widening the ring. "No way."

"Yes," said Harry, smiling, as if he was reminiscing the good old days. "Sirius said that he wanted to impress Mum, so he went around the school, following her everywhere, causing all kinds of trouble."

Draco pursed his lips, but couldn't manage the smile that slipped out of him. "You're kidding." He handed the ring to Harry, who presented his finger, and Draco slid it down.

"Oh, not at all," he said, studying his hand. "Actually, it was all this talking, stories that Sirius and Remus told, that got me thinking, that there was this boy in my school that was very much like my..."

"...For the sake of Merlin, don't finish that sentence." Draco said, as he pulled on Harry's hair, making him "ow!"

His face betrayed only the slightest amusement, but Harry could feel other things on his chest and on his scalp; their language had tools beside words.

"They deserved better," said Draco, after spending a minute in silence.

"Hmm," said Harry. "So, if everyone's going to see this ring on my finger anyway, should we start holding hands?"

"Oh, but we've done so much more than that, haven't we?"

"You know, you're not funny when you try that hard."

"Come on, then, get off."

"No, I want to stay here for a bit."

"Get off, you git, I don't want to be late."

"You know, that time when I died..."

"...yeah, I know, and you're not using that this time. Get up."

Goblets splashed to the floor and spilled their contents and plates clanged and fell from the tables and people fell from their chairs as Drarry arrived to dinner, hand in hand, kissed each other on the lips and separated to take their seats. Or not, but some would say with great confidence that they saw McGonagall cough up blood.


End file.
